The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-15
IN THE SOUDAN.


THRILLING DESCRIPTION OF THE
FIGHTING SQUARE AT AsU-kLEA.
Enemy-"Prepare to Receive Cavalry"
A Pandemonium Inside the English
Hollow square.
Breakfast being over, and the enemy's fire
growing unpleasantly hot, Gen Stewart,
whose cool behavior greatly inspired the
men, took occasion to instruct US as to our
imminent duty He warned us as to the
Arab mode of intimidation and loud noises
You are but 500 men against about
5000 Of the enemy. But keep cool; keep
close together. Above all things fire low,
and all will be we'll"
Just as he concluded the men arose and
prepared to leave the zareba by marching
straight on the wells; the right side Of the
square faced to the left, the left side faced To
the right, while the rear faced right-about,
thus the Guards were in front. OF course
you know that the British square is always
four deep, officers and all others in the
center.
I may as well state that ON the previous
evening, we were constructing our zareba,
Col Fred Burnaby, of the Life Guards, that
restless knight errant, rode into our lines
alone, saying that he had come to re-en-
force u.s.
All being ready, the bugle sounded the
advance" and we stepped out of our inclo-
sure and marched straight to our front; but
when had arrived within about 900
yards of the first rock of the wells the "halt"
was sounded, and we lay down to avoid a
fire that was growing serious. Falling IN
again, we advanced, retired, wheeled and ex-
ecuted various manRuvres, in order to draw
the enemy out from their concealment, firing
an occasional round from our machine guns,
but could not succeed. They were well post
ed behind and beyond the rocks that sur
round the wells and refused to expose them
selves; but we knew that this silence ON their
part portended some deviltry, and that very
soon. We did not anticipate any boys play;
we had heard too much about the Arabs, and
knew our case was a desperate one, conse-
quently our commander acted very eau
tiously.
@FEELING" THE ENEMY
At last, seeing the futility of our maneu-
vring the general decided to "feel" them by
skirnishers, and consequently ten files were
thrown out, with orders to pick OF any
sheikhs emirs they might see, many OF
whom were present, as we could observe by
the numbers of banners waving above the
rocks, and the constant shifting of which led
US to believe that they contemplated some
sudden mischief. The skirmishers, as soon
as they made choice Of positions, opened .
lively fusilade on the banner bearers, and we
knew every shot told by seeing the banners
fall At last the Arabs commenced to swarm
over the rocks and bodies Of mounted men
appeared at the openings Of defiles. Instantly
the recall" was sounded, and none too soon,
for as the skirmishers broke cover and raced
for the square three heavy columns Of Arab
cavalry burst out after them, also making
for our square
Prepare to receive cavalry" now rang
out, and instantly the square bristled with
steel On the fleeing skirmishers,
straight for the front of the square, when
they had been told that in retreat they should
AXE for the rear of the square. As they
'osed on the front, with the standing ranks"
vi the guards at the ready" Col Boscawen,
who had the voice of a bull, roared out:
"Round to the right round to the right and
rear, you - fools! do you want your heads
blown of" They swerved around and cleared
our front when we poured in a vOlley, bring
ing the astonished enemy in our front up,
standing"
The skirmishers kept on around the square,
to the rear, the Arabs after them, till they
reached the right rear corner, where they
essayed TO enter, and did enter, the Arabs in
hot pursuit, bearing everything down before
them Well might we all in the other parts
of the square exclaim with Koko in the
"Mikado, Here's a howdy do! here's n pretty
mess" But it was no laughing matter, with
the wild fanatics cutting right and left The
unlucky cavalrymen now attempted to make
amends for their mistake, officers and men
fighting with unexampled heaoism, but they
were hewn to the earth by the dozen 1t was
feet
British shouting and camels roaring tcamels
can roar; there is more roar to the square
inch in the camel than in the biggest hon
that breathes, the crashing of musketry and
the growing of the machine guns as we
made it lively for the dancing dervishes who
were whiriing around the outside OF the
square.
FIGHTING BACK TO BACK.
Part of this must be stopped, the inside per-
formances particularly. So Boscawen-hs
OF the loud voice-roared out: Guards and
marinesl standing ranks-right about face;
give EN- the STEEL Let no beggar escape
Charge"
At il went; the square was closed
must acknowledge that our men were now
mad We all felt that we must fight for ouI
lives. Retreat not to be Thought Of; il
we did 50, where could We retreat 10, cut of
rs we were from all supports II We did no,
win the day We must leave our bones In the
desert. The temper of our fellows mounted
TO the boiling pitch. Each man felt as if hs
must put forth the power of giant, and a,
q consequence the butchery was terrible
none dared to finch Thus every man in the
square had to do his duty, for while the inside
resembled a volcano in active eruption, the
outside, or kneeling ranks, had enough to dc
| to keep the other Arabs at a respectful dis
| tance. Tine fighting literally back Il
/ back
/ Stabbing and gashing their horses, which
were damned in a mass, we quickly brought
/ them to the ground. riders and all, when tbs
latter were quickly dispatched by dozens ol
| bayonets at once. The Arabs being packed
/ so tightly together. couid neither use theiz
/ Iances nor WELD their scimeters without
slashing each other, while we did not ceas<
| our lunginS long as one breathed At las,
/ thsy yar.a uined Out and W.. a..ai, fs1ad